STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TIMORESE RESISTANCE XANANA GUSMÃO ON
THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS GENEVA, MARCH
 APRIL 1999

Over the past 23 years of Indonesian military occupation of our homeland, the East
Timorese people have suffered countless violations of their most fundamental human rights.
These violations have been extensively documented by international human rights
organisations, and our recent history can be traced through the pages of these
organisations reports and the bloody tale of ceaseless physical and mental
repression which they contain.

Today, as a political solution to the East Timor problem draws closer, the repression
and human rights abuses to which we have been subjected for so long are being stepped up
by the occupying forces in an effort to rob us of our most fundamental and inalienable
right: the right to self-determination.

The situation inside East Timor today is characterised by an increasing level of
violence provoked by ABRI as it orchestrates the intimidation campaign carried out by the
civilian militia groups it recently set up and armed. This escalation jeopardises all
efforts towards reconciliation between the East Timorese, which we deem possible.

The reconciliation process has faced obstacles because, behind the acts of violence,
are the Indonesian Armed Forces which are inciting the pro-integrationists to respond to
our appeals for Peace with war-cries.

We question the sincerity of the Indonesian government in offering the Timorese people
two options on their future, as rather than assisting in the promotion of a situation of
stability in the territory, Jakarta has demonstrated nothing but ill-faith through its
pursuit of a systematic policy of terror, of threats and murder of defenceless citizens.

The propaganda surrounding the threat of civil war now becomes a real
threat, not of civil war in the sense of a war involving confrontation between
two armed groups, but rather in the sense of the threat to the civilian population of a
blood bath planned by ABRI and implemented by armed civilian militia groups.

The argument that the pro-integrationists require arms to defend themselves is without
foundation as for the past 23 years the Falintil guerrillas have confronted dozens of
Indonesian battallions, year after year and without respite, and never did the
pro-integrationists feel the need then to defend themselves against anyone.

I wish to draw attention to the fact that only in October 1998 were civilian militia
groups such as Mahidi (Dili), Aitarak (Ainaro), Besi Merah Putih (Liquiça) and Halilintar
(Maliana) formed. More recently, other groups have been set up in Same, Aileu, Viqueque
and Los Palos and ABRI is planning to form an armed front consisting of all armed groups
to defend integration. The Commanders of these militias recently convened a meeting in
Bali at which General Adam Damiri (Bali Territorial Commander) was present. The formation
of this armed front which would consist of 2,000 armed men deployed throughout the entire
territory was discussed.

The objective is to keep tight control over the population, forcing the people to opt
for autonomy. The terror, intimidation and murder to which the people are already being
subjected will be intensified. In order to increase the appearance of chaos in
the territory, the civilian militas have forced people living close to the border to flee
into West Timor in order to give the impression that they are being threatened by
supporters of independence.

We have made serious efforts to quell the dissatisfaction, the anger and impatience of
the people in various parts of the country who have come to make regular appeals for us to
allow them to physically confront the armed groups. We have also kept the Falintil forces
under our control, committing them to the process of Peace and reconciliation in East
Timor.

The people of East Timor have endured two decades of criminal repression by the
occupying forces, resulting in the death of more than 250,000 Timorese. The indifference
of the international community has allowed this holocaust to take place.

Jakarta responds to our appeals for disarmament of the civilian militias with
intensified campaigns of terror, intimidation and arbitrary killings. And as if the crimes
committed by the militias were not bad enough, Indonesian soldiers are also confronting
civilians in such a way that they are desperate to retaliate but are being forced to
accept their death and destruction as the price demanded by the international community
for their freedom.

I appeal to the international community to hold General Wiranto accountable for the
violence and for the murders perpetrated by the Indonesian Armed Forces in East Timor. I
find myself compelled to inform the international community that if strong and effective
pressure is not brought to bear on Indonesia to immediately disarm the civilian militas,
the people of East Timor are liable to lose their patience, and in the blood bath that
would ensue, the only humanitarian assistance required will be help to bury our dead.

The situation outlined above compels me to call for an urgent UN presence in the
territory to enforce Peace, and I urge the governments of the world and the United Nations
to support the establishment of such a presence.

No diplomatic initiatives to bring Peace to East Timor can be effective if the cycle of
violence is not broken, nor is a democratic and fair consultation process possible whilst
Indonesian military-sponsored campaigns of terror and destabilisation continue.

Again and again we have stated our commitment to attainment of a solution through
dialogue and accommodation of the views, experiences, fears and preoccupations of all. To
this end we have appealed to our two esteemed Bishops to revive the reconciliation talks
initiated in Dare late last year. It is our fervent hope and belief that one of the
outcomes of the next round of reconciliation talks, scheduled for April 1999, will be a
rejection on the part of all Timorese of violence and retaliation, both now and in the
future, and a commitment to respecting the right of all citizens of East Timor to equal
rights and opportunities.

In annex are the most recent reports of violations which we have compiled based on
information reaching us from inside East Timor.